Expanded trussed beam



Aug. 31 1926. 1,598,129

H. M- GERSMAN EXPANDED TRUSSED BEAM Filed Oct. 9, i924 Int/e 72% I Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

ATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY M. GERSIVIAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EXrAnnEn 'rnossnn' BEAM.

Application filed October 9, 1924' Serial No. 742,711.

This invention relates to improvements in expanded trussed beams and more particularly to a beam which may be produced from an original rolled section, preferably an I-beamsection.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide an expanded trussed beam which may be economically produced, which involves economy of metal, in which the angle of the struts may be selected as desired without liability of fracture and without dependence on the ductility and elasticity of the metal and which has ample strength for all practical purposes.

With the above objects in View the invention consists generally in an integral expanded beam having a single web provided with diagonal strut-s extending continuously between the flanges of the beam and lying alternately at opposite sides of the mean plane of the web, the struts at each side being parallel to one another and extending at any desired angle to the struts at the opposite side; the invention also consists in various other novel features of con struction and arrangement which will be set forth in detail as the description proceeds. s

The accompanying drawings illustrate an I-beam in which the features of theinven- -tion are incorporated and also stages in the production of the same.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the slitted blank. 1

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the blank after the ofisetting of the portions which provide the struts.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 isan elevation of the blank after expansion. 7

Figure 6 is asection on the line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an elevation of the completed beam, and

Figure 8 is a section on the line S--8 of Figure 7.

The blank from which the expanded beam is produced is preferably of the'form shown in Figures 1 and 2, which consists of a roll-ed I-beam shape of the usual or any desired section having a central planar web 1 and top and bottom flanges 2 and 3. The web l is slitted in characteristic fashion to provide for expansion in accordance with the invention. Thus the web is provided with parallel diagonal slits 4 which extend from points near one flange to points near the other and with short alining longitudinal slits 5 which, as shown, extend between corresponding ends of adjoining slits 4. Thereby theslits 4 are connected in successive pairs adjacent one of the flanges with the result that the metal between the slits not connected has the form of continuous strands 6 and the metal between the connected slits has the form of interrupted or discontinuous strands, that is to say of tongues 7 which alternate with the strands 6. As shown and preferred, the slits 4 terminate at points short of the flanges, thereby leaving beyond the slits solid web portions l and 1 but, if desired, theslits 4 may be continued right up to the flanges and these may be made of such thickness as may be deemed advisable. The'strands 6 are laterally oifset so as to lie in-acommon plane at the same side of the mean plane of the web, this being accomplished by a corrugating operation in the manner disclosed in my pending application, Serial No. 642,872; and the tongues 7 which, as shown, project from the solid portion 1, are in like manner bent so as to lie in a common plane at the opposite side of the mean plane of the web. These corrugating and bending operations by which the blankis given the form shown in Figures 3 and 4 may be performed in connection with the slitting or at a later stage. The strands and tongues are also preferably curved between their ends so as to have convex faces adjacent the mean plane of the web, as shown in Figure 4, and such curving may be done at the time of slitting or at a later stage.

The blank is now ready for xpansion and this is accomplished by moving the flanges in relatively'opposite directions while maintaining their angular relation to the mean plane'of the web, whereby the strands are caused to approach more nearly to perpendicular positions, as shown in Figure 5. The expansion of the blank produces no change in the-positions of the tongues 7; and the beam is completed by bending the tongues in the general direction of their common plane so as to cause them to extend oppositely, that which .the free ends of the tongues are spot,

welded to the adjacentsolid section of the web, the completed beam being shown in Figures 7 and 8. Such lb'endi'n'g of the tongues may be effected simultaneously with the expansion or at a later stage. If desired, and for the purpose of. providing .a true lattice truss, the tongues and strands may be spot {welded to one another at t'h-eir points of-intersection, as indicated at 8 in Figure 7. I l f H It will be obvious thatithe strands may bebent in the direction "of their common plane to greater pr less degree and that the degree to which the tongues are bent in their common plane will depend "on the "degree to which the strands are bent. As shown the strands have been bent to positions short of perpendicular and the tongues have been bent through and beyond perpendicular-but if desired the strands may be bent through and beyond perpendicular in which case the tongues will be bentto positions suitably short of'perpendicular.

Instead of locating the short slits 5' at the ends ofthe diagonal slits i :theymay be located as desired at points along the length of the slits a fori-examp'le-at midway points. Such-location of: the slits "5 will result in the discontinuous-stra:ndseach beingin the form of a pair-oi :originallyxaliningtongues pro .ject'ing from the respective solid .portions 1 and 1' or fromthe respective flanges 2 and 3 in case the solid portions are not employed. After expansion-of thecontinuous strands above described the originally alin'ing tongues which, during expansion, have be come relatively longitudinally oilset, are bent back into alining relation and their ends connected by welding, the same weldingofperation bein-gxavailable to connect them to the continuous strands which they intersect. Having :fully described my invention, I claim: I

1 An expanded trussed beam'h'aving up per and lowerflanges and an integral web, said web having as parts thereof spaced diagona-l-integrally continuous struts andother spaced diagonal'struts alternating with and extending, at'an'gles tojthe first named struts, the second namedstruts being continuous by virtue of-diiferently located integral and applied connections.

:2. An expanded trussed beam having up /p'er andjlower flanges and an integral web,

said web-having solid f portions adj 'aoent the flanges and spaced diagonal integrally continuous-struts integrally connected to the solid "portions, and other spaced diagonal struts extending between the solid portions and alternating with fa nd extending at angles tothe first named} struts,'the second {named struts being continuous by' dillerently located integral and welded connections with adjacent parts of the web. I

3; An expanded trussed beam having upper and lower flanges and an integral web,

said web having a series of spaced diagonal integrally continuous struts and a second ser es of spaced diagonal struts alternating with and extending at angles to the first named struts, thesecond named struts being continuous by virtue of differently located integrals-1rd welded connections with. adjacent parts of the web and the struts of at least one series being laterally. offset relatively to the mean plane of the web.

4-. An expanded trussed. beam having upper and lower flanges and an integralweb, said web having a series of spaced 'diagonal integrally continuous struts and a second-series of spaced diagonal struts alternating with. and extending at angles to the firsr.

namedstruts, the second named struts being continuous by virtue of differently located integral and welded connections with adj-'51- cent parts of the web, the struts of; the two series being laterally oflset at opposite sides of the mean plane 0f the web.

5. An expanded trussed beam. having up per and lower flanges and an integral web, said web having a'series of spaced diagonal integrally continuous struts "and asecoiid series of spaced diagonal struts alternating with and extending hit angles to the limit named struts, the second nanied struts being continuous by virtue 10f differently located integral and welded connections with. adjacent parts of the Web, the "struts'zbeing suitably secured together at their points of intersection and the struts of at least one series being laterally offset relatively to "the mean plane of the web. Q

6. An expandedtruss'ed beam havingm per and lower flanges 'and an 'integrwlweb, said web having a series spaced diagonal integrallycontinuous struts and a second series of spaced diagonal struts alternating with and extending-at angles to the 'first named struts, the second named struts being continuous by virtue of differently located integral 'and welded connections with ilClIjBI- cent parts of the web, the struts of the two series being laterally'ofl'set at opposite sides of the mean plane of the Web and bei-n suitably securedtogether at their :points 0 intersection. V A

, 7. An'ex'pan ded truused*beam"having 'u per and lower flanges and an integral'wve b, said web having spaced diagonal integrally continuous and integrally connected struts and having otherspaoeddiagonal struts alternating with and extending at angles to the f-first named struts, the second named struts being each 'integrally connected to the web atoneend and havingan applied'connection to the web at its other end. i I. 8'. An enpanded 'trussed beam having Pup.-

per and lower flanges and a web integral with said flanges, said web having as parts thereof parallel integrally continuous diagonal struts and other parallel diagonal struts extending at angles to the first named struts and integrally connected to the web, said last named struts having points of interruption at which they are united to adjacent parts of the web by applied connections and thereby made continuous.

9. An expanded trussed beam having upper and lower flanges and a web integral with said flanges, said web having as parts thereof parallel integrally continuous diagonal struts and other parallel diagonal struts extending at angles to the first named struts and integrally connected to the web, said first and last named struts being olfset laterally relatively to one another and said last named struts having points of interruption at which they are united to adjacent aarts of the web by applied connections and thereby made continuous.

10. An expanded trussed beam having upper and lower flanges and a web integral with said flanges, said web having as parts thereof parallel integrally continuous diagonal struts and other parallel diagonal struts extending in intersecting relation to the first named struts and integrally con nected to the web, said last named struts being connected at their points of intersection to the first named struts and having points of interruption at which they are united toadjacent parts of the web by ap plied connections and thereby made continuous.

11. An expanded trussed beam having upper and lower flanges and a web integral with said flanges, said web having as parts thereof parallel integrally continuous diagonal struts and other parallel diagonal struts extending in intersecting relation to the first named struts and integrally connected to the web, said first and last named struts being offset laterally relatively to one another and said last named struts being connected at their points of intersection to the first named struts and having points of interruption at which they are united to adjacent parts of the web by applied connections and thereby made continuous.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si 'nature.

HARVEY M. oERsirAN. 

